Vacant Ice
by Raven cries Nevermore
Summary: When Ferncloud died, Dustpelt wasn't the only one affected. Icecloud could handle a battle with the Dark Forest, constantly being outshone by her brother, and being repeatedly rejected by Lionblaze. But when her mother died - the one cat in all the clan who actually understood her - Icecloud finally cracked. (Adopted from tr1xx777) (Rated T because I'm scared)
1. Allegiances

Adopted from tr1xx777!

Allegiances

Thunderclan

Leader: Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Warriors:

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Millie- striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom

Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose- cream-colored tom

Hazeltail- small gray-and-white she-cat

Mousewhisker- gray-and-white tom

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap- reddish tabby tom

Icecloud- white she-cat

Toadstep- black-and-white tom

Rosepetal- dark cream she-cat

Briarlight- dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe- very pale gray tom with black stripes

Dovewing- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool- silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Apprentices:

Cherrypaw- ginger she-cat

Molepaw- brown-and-cream tom

Queens:

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches (mother to Amberkit, Dewkit, and Snowkit)

Daisy- cream long-furred she-cat from the horseplace (foster mother to Lilykit and Seedkit)

Elders:

Purdy- plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle


	2. The First Day

The First Day | Chapter 1

Icecloud was still shaking at the sight of her mother. It was almost like the she was sleeping. Ferncloud had lengthy scratches across her sides, her fur brushed naturally back, trying to cover her wounds, and… the bite mark on her neck. The scent of lavender wafted over the clan, masking the scent of death. Icecloud looked at her mother, trying to remember what she last said to her. She sighed, not remembering and licked her shoulder. Her tongue tasted mint and lavender, and she gagged inwardly.

"May Starclan light your path, Ferncloud." Icecloud mumbled under her breath. She backed away, watching various cats mourn for their loved ones. Dustpelt was leaning over Ferncloud's body, murmuring quietly. One could say he was grieving the most.

Icecloud turned away, her stomach and throat in a tight knot. Being the only daughter to survive kit-hood, she had been adored by her mother. Icecloud had told her everything- how her training was going, what she caught, and even her crushes. She even got her suffix from Ferncloud. She never thought that Ferncloud would die…let alone like this.

"You okay?" A voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Spiderleg, her eldest brother. Icecloud didn't respond, fearing she would cry out, so she simply nodded. Spiderleg sighed, looking at Ferncloud. His eyes looked clouded, as if remembering the past.

"I'll look after Dad. Go get some rest." He commanded. Icecloud complied, willing her body to her nest. Her paws felt like they were being held to the ground, not wanting to move. She somehow made it to her nest, despite her paws and aching shoulders. She curled up, feeling hollow, like something was missing. Her heavy eyelids pulled down, exhaustion and sadness finally pulling her into sleep.

Icecloud heaved herself up, yawning. She stepped outside, seeing cats talk and kits play. She glanced up, seeing that it was sun-high. She looked to the nursery, expecting her mother to come out, but then she scented lavender.

_So last night wasn't just some horrible dream._

The bodies had been swept away, presumably buried. All that was left was a small pool of muddy water. Icecloud looked at her wounds from the battle, tentatively licking them clean. She spotted Squirrelflight directing patrols and sat nearby, hoping she would be picked so she could keep her mind away from death. A paw prodded Icecloud. A gray tabby tom was holding a squirrel in his jaws. Jayfeather carefully put it down.

"Eat up, Icecloud." He mewed simply. He sat, staring his blind eyes into her pelt. Icecloud stared back at Jayfeather for a moment before she unconformably ate a few bites of the squirrel to appease Jayfeather, who then left, seemingly content. Icecloud finished the squirrel, despite her lack of appetite.

"Icecloud, could you go on border patrol with Lionblaze, Cinderheart, and Berrynose?" Squirrelflight requested. Her stomach twisted at the sound of Lionblaze but Icecloud nodded, following Berrynose. They went out of the camp, along the Shadowclan/Thunderclan border. Icecloud padded up to the golden tabby tom.

"Hey, Lionblaze," Icecloud hesitantly mewed, heart faintly fluttering in her chest. She had a crush on Lionblaze ever since they were apprentices. Cinderheart stuck close to Lionblaze's side, causing a pang a jealousy to course through her. She knew Lionblaze and Cinderheart had been close lately but they surely weren't mates. Cinderheart was next to Lionblaze, casting a look at him of concern.

"Hey, Icecloud, look, I know you like me, but I love Cinderheart. Okay?" He mewed. Icecloud looked at the ground, falling to the back of the group. It had been hopeless for her to think that Lionblaze might comfort her. Icecloud continued to follow the group, barely looking up to see Lionblaze and Cinderheart talking and purring. Icecloud felt bile in the back of her throat; she was sickened by their love. She was thankful when she finally got back to camp. At least she could be alone rather than be with the lovebirds.

Icecloud curled up, reluctant to do anything. She wanted to talk to her mother more than anything. She sighed, looking at the sun setting. Her stomach growled but she ignored it, lying in her nest. She couldn't sleep; it was like something was missing, so she just watched the clan quietly.

"Icecloud… Icecloud, get up." She craned her neck up to see Foxleap. She stared at him, clearly annoyed.

"What do you want?" She snapped; rather than Foxleap disturbing her sleep he'd disturbed her quiet. His green eyes were shockingly cold and still rather than warm and lively like how they usually were.

"We need to talk privately." He mewed coldly. Icecloud got up, flexing her muscles before trailing behind him. He led her past Graystripe, the guard for the night. The moonlight slid down the treetops, giving the grass a silvery dapple to it. It was beautiful outside, unlike most nights. Icecloud shook off the feeling, glancing at Foxleap.

"Icecloud, I can't have you falling apart like Dad. You need to eat and sleep and talk, just like before." He said seriously. Icecloud darted her eyes away from his.

"It's only been a day, Foxleap. Didn't Mom mean more to you?" Icecloud hissed. Ferncloud had loved her as much as him, even if Icecloud spent more time with her.

"Of course she did! I...I need you to be normal though: for Dustpelt, for your brothers, for Ferncloud." He mewed, practically begging the white she-cat. Icecloud shook her head, replying to her brother.

"It might take me longer to get over her death, okay? Get that through your skull." Icecloud mewed, sinking her claws into the ground. Why didn't he just understand?

"Please, Icecloud, I know you're having a hard time but you have to control yourself." He hissed, tail lashing, frustrated that she still wasn't over the death of their _mother_. Icecloud stared at him, thinking of a retort when a black shadow dashed across her vision.

"Foxleap, look out!"


	3. From What Comes

Chapter 2 | From What Comes

Icecloud slid out her claws as Foxleap spun around. Icecloud stared at where the shape went, behind an oak tree. A low growl rumbled in the back of Icecloud's throat. Foxleap sniffed the air, cautiously stepping forward. Icecloud felt sickly- weather it was the lack of food she had that day or the fear for Foxleap, she wasn't sure. He sniffed along the sides of the ferns and bracken that were tossed near the oak.

"Icecloud...no one's here. There's no scent, nothing." He mewed after a moment. Icecloud let out her breath, not realizing that she was holding it in.

"There was someone there Foxleap. I know it." Icecloud meowed confidently. She examined the place quickly, looking for any signs of movement. The bracken looked as if untouched, no bramble kept their grasp on any fur. It was like it wasn't even there.

"Come on. It's probably because of everything going on. Why don't you get some poppy seeds from Jayfeather to help you sleep?" Icecloud let it go, hoping for the best. She didn't want there to be a murderer or anything. She went back to camp with Foxleap, who was still a bit shaken up about the shadow.

"Jayfeather?" Icecloud dipped her head into the medicine cat den. Jayfeather was laid out on his side, slightly snoring. Icecloud slightly prodded his side, waking him up. Jayfeather yawned, pulling himself up. He sniffed the air, finding out who it was.

"Icecloud? What do you want at this, what I presume, late hour?" He asked, tipping his head. He started going out of the den, probably to keep Brairlight asleep.

"I need some poppy seed- I can't sleep." She mewed, avoiding any prying conversations. Jayfeather nodded, walking into his den and coming back out with three small black seeds.

"Are you okay?" Jayfeather questioned seriously. Icecloud looked at her paws, lowering her body so she could lick up the seeds.

"No. My mother is dead, my father doesn't seem much better, and my brother doesn't seem to understand me." Icecloud confessed. Even though Jayfeather was possibly the worst cat to tell her worries to, it was at least someone.

"Everything will get better in time, Icecloud." Jayfeather mewed after a minute. He nodded for Icecloud to lick the seed up, and she did. Jayfeather went back to his den, and Icecloud went back to her nest. The poppy seeds lulled her into sleep soon after. The dawn woke Icecloud up, forcing her to get up. She got out of the camp, getting her muscles ready. She scented the air, searching for prey. A mouse scurried amongst the leaves and roots but there was a squirrel resting on a low branch of an oak tree. She crept toward the squirrel, keeping herself low to the ground due to her white pelt.

Her white pelt had always made her feel a bit of an outcast with the brown colored cats in the clan but her mother would compliment her, always saying "You have the most beautiful white fur! Everyone is simply jealous of it, Icekit, even I would love to have white fur."

Icecloud paused in thought, remembering that the conversation she had with her mother began their closeness in the first place. Icecloud glanced back up to see the squirrel now scanning the area to find a nut. She held her breath and leapt, sinking her teeth into the squirrel's neck. She picked up the squirrel, burying it under the oak tree. Icecloud looked up to see a shadow run past her vision.

Icecloud tensed up, her fur spiking up defensively. It had only been there for second, yes, but it had still been there. Well, I just have to carry on, she told herself. She got back into her hunting position, scenting the air. She found a rabbit hiding in the tall grass, trying not to be killed. She followed her nose, finding the rabbit. She lowered herself to the ground and leapt, catching the rabbit. She buried it near the oak tree, spotting Mousewhisker.

"Hey!" Icecloud mewed, catching his attention. Mousewhisker swiveled his head to see Icecloud pad up next to him.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, tipping her head.

"Jayfeather was curious. He said that he treated you last night, what was that about?" He asked, a hint of playfulness in his voice. Icecloud shuffled her paws, embarrassed about what happened.

"Oh, I just couldn't sleep last night. Can you help me take some prey I caught back to camp?" She asked, standing up again. Mousewhisker nodded, following her to the oak tree and gathering the prey. They went back to camp with the rabbit and mouse, dropping it on the prey pile.

"I'm going to tell Jayfeather I'm back." Icecloud announced as Mousewhisker was speaking to Hazeltail. He sprang away from Hazeltail, trying to catch Icecloud's attention, but she just kept walking to Jayfeather's den.

"I'm back, Jayfeather, you don't have to worry about me." She mewed in his den, looking for the gray tabby tom. Instead of the gray tabby tom or even Brairlight, she only saw Spiderleg. The black and brown tom stepped out of the shadows to let Icecloud see him.

"Spiderleg?" She questioned, confused. He was frozen for a minute before replying.

"Thank goodness you're okay." He mewed finally. A shaky breath fell from him. Spiderleg had seemed so strong when Ferncloud died, so what scared him that much?

"Why...wouldn't I be?" She asked again, still unsure. She wondered why Mousewhisker had lied to her but that was not apart of the problem at hand. Spiderleg looked into the camp, eyes fogging up.

"I can't lose anyone else, Icecloud." He turned back to her, a slight chuckle to lighten the mood.

"Anyways, just...don't leave like that. Tell Squirrelflight or Bramblestar- someone. I need to know you didn't just leave." He mewed, explaining himself. Icecloud looked down at her paws, nodding. She was never going to be the only one grieving.


End file.
